Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-02-23
The Cold Northwest.
SIX WEEKS OF UNPRECEDENTED WEATHER
AND GREAT SUFFERING.


AssINABoINE, MoNT., February 19.-For
six weeks unprecedented SHOWS, billiards,
and gales have ragged through the northern
and western portions of Montana until
mans only safety depends upon his re-
naming within the house. The oldest set
tiers acknowledge that the winter is the
most severe for ten years. For days the
thermometer. fingered between 10 and 40
degrees below zero. and during one period
Of twenty-f0ur hours registered 81 degrees
below zero. The main range of the Rock
les has along its entire length through
Montana from two to six feet Of snow, and
there is an average depth of 30 inches upon
the prairies. Drifts have formed upon the
cattle ranges in the Coules and along the
stage routes to remarkable depth, and
the surface of the snow is covered with a
crust too thick for the cattle to break in
order that they may reach the grass. Stock
of all kinds is suffering in the most fearful
manner, and, while some of the cattlemen
estimate the probable loss at % per cent,
the majority claim to have quit figuring on
the lesses now and will be thankful if they
have enough left to start anew in the spring.
Hay is very acarce. $50 per ton being paid
with alacrity. The various mailcOach
lines have been the greatest sufferers by the
impossible roads, the delay of mails, and
the mortality among their stock, the Hele-
ma and Benton Stage Company alone having
lost thirty head of horses since Christmas.
Should prolonged chinook set in now
there would be a sudden breakup of the
Missouri river from Benton down, causing
tremendous gorges and immense amount
of destruction. At all events, there will be
a big river and long season of navigation
the coming summer.
CANTON, OAK, February 19.-The worst
blizzard of the season has been raging
throughout Dakota since Thursday noon.
All trains are abandoned, and business is at
standstill on account of the immense
quantity Of snow on the ground.
HURON, DAK., February l9.-The storm
that commenced Thursday has not yet
ceased. The wind is from the North, but
is not cold. The snow is piled as high as
the fence-tops aud the wagon-roads are
mostly impossible. The Bismarck train,
which got as far as Redfeld Thursday, was
brought back here yesterday, and loco
motive run from Brookingo to Volga was
the only wheel turned on the 700 miles of
the Dakota Central division of the Chicago
and Northwestern road to-day. No efforts
will be made to clear the roads until the
storm subsidies. The past thirty six hours
have been the most disagreeable known in
this part of Dakota since 1880.
CHICAGO, February 19.-The village of
Cummings, H., is pretty we'll flooded out,
the water having risen eight inches since
Thursday night, compelling the street-cars
on Oue-hundred- and fourth street to stop
running. The schoolhouses have been
closed. At South Chicago yesterday the
water in the flooded portions of the town
had risen in some places ten inches since
the previous day. The water in the river
had risen foot In the northern part of
the town the state of the water was such as
to compel number of families to leave
their homes.